slow-moving

slow-moving — adjective

1. moving or happening at a speed that is less than usual; not quick in movement, a

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

moving or happening at a speed that is less than usual; not quick in movement, action, or progress.

Example

A slow-moving lorry blocked the narrow country road for nearly an hour.

collocation: slow-moving + vehicle (lorry/truck)

The queue at the ticket counter was slow-moving, and Yuki almost missed her train.

predicative use after linking verb

Common collocations
  • slow-moving traffic
  • slow-moving vehicle
  • slow-moving queue
  • slow-moving process
  • slow-moving story
  • slow-moving storm
Synonyms
  • slow

    simpler and more common; 'slow-moving' adds emphasis on ongoing movement or progress

  • sluggish

    stronger negative tone, suggests a lack of energy or laziness in movement

  • leisurely

    positive or neutral tone; implies a relaxed, unhurried pace by choice

  • gradual

    describes change that happens step by step over time, not necessarily movement

Antonyms
  • fast-moving

    direct opposite; describes things that move or develop quickly

  • quick

    general opposite in speed or pace

Grammar Patterns

slow-moving + noun

be + slow-moving

Usage Note

Can describe both physical movement (vehicles, people, queues) and figurative progress (negotiations, projects, stories). When used for films or books, it often carries a negative tone of being boring.

Common Mistakes

The car was moving slow.
The car was slow-moving.
'slow-moving' is a compound adjective; 'slow' alone is not used as an adverb in standard English (use 'slowly').
This is a slow-move car.
This is a slow-moving car.
the compound uses the '-ing' form of the verb, not the base form.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a lack of speed, but they differ in tone and context. 'Slow' is the most general and neutral — a slow computer, a slow walk. 'Slow-moving' emphasizes ongoing action: a slow-moving queue is one you are standing in right now. 'Sluggish' carries a strong negative tone, suggesting something should be faster but is not, often because of weakness or inefficiency (a sluggish economy). 'Leisurely' is positive or neutral, implying the slow pace is intentional and comfortable (a leisurely stroll, a leisurely lunch). 'Gradual' focuses on change over time rather than speed of movement (gradual improvement, gradual decline). For a physical queue or traffic jam, 'slow-moving' and 'sluggish' both fit, but 'slow-moving' sounds more neutral while 'sluggish' sounds frustrated.

slow ↗sluggishleisurelygradual ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • painfully slow-moving
  • frustratingly slow-moving
  • extremely slow-moving

Phrases

  • slow-moving vehicle
  • slow-moving traffic
  • slow-moving queue

Etymology

Old EnglishLatinEnglish

Formed by combining two English words: 'slow' (from Old English 'slāw', meaning sluggish or dull) and 'moving' (the present-participle form of 'move', which comes from Latin 'movēre'). The compound 'slow-moving' has been used since the 1500s to describe things that travel or develop at a reduced speed.